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Some interesting comments on "mindfulness"

"The premise of this book is that these two theories are highly questionable and—for anyone hoping to realize the end of suffering—seriously misleading. At best, they present a small part of the path as the whole of the practice; at worst, they discredit many of the skills needed on the path and misrepresent what it actually means to taste awakening."

Thank you, Kirk. I am also rather critical of this kind of "mindfulness" meditation that has become popular in many circles, with its emphasis on relaxing and sitting stripped of many of the Teachings of Buddhism to bring it to life. It is rather like a jet plane without its wings.

But as to what the article says, and judging a book from its cover and a brief review, Thanissaro Bhikkhu speaks from his own view of the Traditions of Theravada Buddhism. As Zen is a Mahayana Pathless Path, the interpretations may be rather different (quite different yet the same, same yet sometimes very different).

All Paths agree that the whole holistic lifestyle of the practitioner in important, the entire Eightfold Path. So, in Soto Zen ... Zazen is EVERYTHING, TOTALLY COMPLETE! (In fact, it is much more than just, as in the article, some meditation of "bare attention: a state of pure receptivity—non-reactive, non-judging, non-interfering—toward physical and mental phenomena as they make contact at the six senses." It is perhaps better described as a a "whole and 'pure' act, the one and only act in the universe at that moment") Yet, rising from the cushion, how we act, our choices, our study of the Teachings ... all are required to get the plane off the ground. In fact, just about every Buddhist Teacher I know, of every stripe and tradition, will say about the same.